Thanks to all of those who have already giving this story support. I really appreciate it. Cheers.
WHAM!
It was a door, an... uncomfortably close door. The ridiculously loud sound was a result of Yuri's hand shielding his face from the unhinged... broken... door. Okay, not exactly... what I had expected. Ruby had begun to panic, her hands thrown into the air. "Yang! What is wrong with you?" She screamed. He couldn't see the assailant, but he could hear her. "Oops... sorry about that. Hey, someone else there with you?" She asked. Yuri listened closely to her voice. Middling pitch, taller than average height. She sounds friendly, and genuinely apologetic. Ruby took Yuri's lack of movement as lack of consciousness. "Well... he was here, I think he might be dead." Yuri responded by throwing the door off of himself. "I'm fine, just wondering if I should get used this kind of thing." He pondered worriedly.
He felt a bit... well... unusual about things now. Ruby could see it on his face, despite the hood of his cloak hiding most of it. "Well... they don't usually get this rowdy. Sorry, is your arm alright?" She asked. "You blocked it with your arm?" The blonde exclaimed. Yuri smirked, despite knowing that the girls now visible in front of him. "You launched it with your arm, no? So why can't I block it with mine?" He asked. The girl pondered, then shrugged her shoulders. "Well, most people can't just take that without a problem." She said with a laugh. "I suppose you're right, maybe next time you'll take that into account... preferably before, you launch a door across the hall." He said.
She nodded in affirmation. "We should go in now." Ruby said with a rather nervous laugh. I'm not sure if they're being friendly... or if they're testing one another. She sighed and stepped over the door, which was lying into the floor. Yuri followed behind her. The blonde, Yang, spoke up. "So sis, who's this?" She asked. Ruby perked up a bit. "Everyone, this is our new team member... Yuri Kallen." She said. Yuri gave a slight bow. The blonde straightened up a bit. She was only a little shorter than him. She stuck her hand out, and he took it in a firm, but still rather friendly handshake. "I'm Yang, you've already met my little sister." She said.
Another of the girls lifted her head and gave a slight, sweet smile. "Nice to meet you, I'm Blake." She said. The other girl turned towards Yuri, giving a slight dismissive wave. He smiled. Ah, the "ice queen". "I'm Weiss, it's nice to meet you." She said. He nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you all." He said. Yang jumped at some realization. "Hey, wait, if you blocked the door, does that mean you're strong?" She asked. Yuri looked down to the floor for a moment, before deciding on his answer. "I'm... confident in my physical capabilities." He said. She grinned. "Prepared to back that up?" She asked. He looked at her, then grinned himself. "Only if I can prove myself against you." He said. Yang's eyes lit up with excitement. "Awesome, how about tomorrow?" She said.
That could be fun, I don't like having to hold back, but unfortunately most of the criminals I fight are so weak that I have to. This could be a good chance to let loose some of the stress I've been feeling. "Very well, that sounds like a wonderful idea." He said. Blake and Weiss looked at each other. Blake had a slight grimace on her face. This guy might actually die if he fights Yang. He grasped the drawstrings on his cloak and undid them, pulling the knot in them and lifting the cloak over his head.
Yang stared in awe as he did. He's not bad looking at all. He turned the cloak inside out, revealing the three small bags tied to it. He pulled off the bags and set them near the door. "What's that?" Yang asked. "Uhhh, it's... mostly money... but there are some other things in there as well." He said. He sniffed the air for a moment. Is... that... cat fur? Oh, god no. He sucked in a breath, then let out a dry, painful sneeze. "Oh, shit! Is there a cat in here? I can smell it." He said. The four girls shook their heads simultaneously.
Yuri sniffed the air for a moment. Turning his heads in each of their directions as he did. "No... there's definitely a cat. I may be a human, but my senses are better than most Faunus." He said, pride not lacking. His eyes fell on Blake, and she could feel his yellow-grey eyes searching her, looking for some sign if her true self. He stepped forward and glared down at her, his eyes focusing on her bow. "My nose... it's never wrong." He started. She had to do everything in her power to keep herself from shaking. She felt something akin to what a cat feels before a dog chases it down. His eyes softened, then he smiled. "But... I suppose it might be this time." He said, before backing away.
Blake sighed in relief as a knock was heard at the door. Who fixed the door already? "Mr. Kallen, your purchases are ready." A voice came from the other side. "Umm... my weapons?" Yuri asked confused. The door opened, and the same woman at the register from before forced her way into the room. She handed Yuri a small black bag, which he opened. My uniform... so much for the next few days. The woman pushed past the girls and set two separate cases down on the dresser in the back.
She turned and made a gesture towards them. "Mr. Kallen. Please feel free to inspect and test the weapons before I leave." She said. Yuri shrugged and put the bag on the ground and walked to the dresser. He lifted the smaller case and pulled out the sheathed weapon. He slid the two separate blades from it and held them against the light. "What's that?" Ruby asked. Yuri smiled and pointed it at her. "It's a jitte." He said simply. He elaborated after he realized none of them really understood.
He pointed to the long rod that comprised the main body of the weapon. "This is a heavy, superheated steel rod, it's incredibly durable, and can crush bones with a single swing." He said, then moved his focus to the smaller, bladed attachment. "This... is a detachable blade, made of multi-fold carbon. It's one of the strongest, and sharpest, blades that can be forged." He said. He reached out and grabbed the small extender that connected the two pieces, twisted, and then popped it out. He turned the now two blades towards his back, holding them facing away from him. "These are used in a backhanded manner known as Zatoichi Style, and are meant for close range engagements." He said.
Yang spoke up. "It doesn't seem like they'd be too much use against some of the more agile Grimm." She said with some concern. Yuri smiled and placed the separated pieces back together, then slid them back into their sheath. He patted the larger case. "That's what this is for." He laughed. He picked up the case and undid the fastenings, popping it open. Inside was what looked like a standard military assault rifle at first glance. He lifted it out of its case and opened the window next to the dresser.
"Three modes... first, a long range Gauss Cannon." He said. The rifle had a small black box on its back, and Yuri pressed a small button on it and a soft whirring began emitting from the box. He turned a small dial on the rifle's receiver, and a soft blue glow formed in its chamber. He pointed the barrel out the open window and squeezed the trigger. Nothing... then whuuuuuuu-crack! The blue light condensed and shot out of the barrel like lightning bolt. The light flew across the grounds and into the forest a few miles away. A burst of light escaped the leaves of the trees.
"It fires a highly magnetized pulse slugs at a speed of seven thousand feet per second, it's capable of shredding flesh, concrete, steel, you name it." He said, before turning the dial again. "Second mode, a fully functional assault rifle that fires medium caliber rounds at a eight hundred rounds per minute." He pulled the trigger again, and the rifle emitted a familiar bark as the rounds ripped out of the chamber. He smiled. "This function, with the size of the round, and the high fire rate, is efficient at eliminating Beowolves and Ursa with no challenge. And finally, mode three." He said, turning the dial a final time.
He pulled the trigger, and a sound similar to a flyswatter slapping against a wall was audible from the weapon. "This is a high yield Flechette shotgun, that unloads forty five tiny Flechette needles. This function is incredibly effective against airborne targets... or Nevermore." He said, turning to the woman. Two impressive pieces. They're perfect, how much will they cost?" He asked. She put her hands up in a dismissive motion. "The Headmaster said he'd-" "Absolutely not." Yuri interrupted. "I can afford them, and I don't like having debts, so how much?" He asked again.
She sighed. "The total will be... five million Lien." She said. The girls expressed surprise at the cost, but Yuri was unconcerned. "Very well." Was all he said as he walked back towards the door and picked up the largest bag near the door. He undid its string and dumped the contents, hundreds of Lien cards of different colors, on the floor. He scanned the cards for a moment, then picked up three of them. One solid black card and two silver ones. "The black card has one million, and the silver ones have two million apiece. If you'd like to verify them here, feel free to do so." He said as he handed the cards to the now dumbfounded woman.
She pulled out her Scroll and ran each of them across its surface. "Hmmm, verified, two million. Verified, two million. And... verified, one million." She said, then bowed towards Yuri. "We appreciate your patronage, Mr. Kallen." She turned around and made her way to the door before turning back again. "Umm, what would you like us to tell the Headmaster about the payment?" She asked. Yuri pondered for a moment, then answered. "I refuse to owe any debts." He said with a nod. The woman returned the nod and left the room.
Yuri avoided the eyes of the girls, who had honest questions about his money. He picked up the black bag with his uniform in it and pulled out the top. Yang looked at it quizzically. "How did they get your size so quickly?" She asked. He laughed. "The first person I met other than Ozpin was that really strict woman, and she profiled me pretty quick after I got here." He said. He lifted his black undershirt over his head, revealing his rather scarred, muscular form. Yang gave a sharp whistle of appreciation, making Yuri laugh. "Hey... you're not getting too much... this is a free show after all." He chuckled. She grinned in return as Yuri threw on the white undershirt, then slipped the uniform on. "Any chance of me seeing more?" She asked.
Yuri's eyes grew as wide as the grin on his face. "Well that... wasn't subtle at all... but... maybe." He said. The two of them locked eyes for a moment, then burst into laughter. Weiss looked around the room for a moment. "Umm, I hate to ruin the flirting session you two have going on, but, where is Yuri supposed to sleep?" She asked. Yuri looked at her as though she had slapped him. "Ummm, I don't sleep." He said succinctly. She looked at him for a moment, clearly searching for an indication of jest. She didn't find one. "Wait you're serious?" She asked in disbelief.
He looked at her. "Well... to be honest... I don't even remember what sleeping is like... it's been about four years since I last slept." He said. "My aura... is so intense that it keeps me awake. I can fall unconscious sometimes... but not because of anything I do." He said. Weiss looked at him again. "Then, what are you going to do when we sleep?" She asked warily. She didn't want him getting any ideas, regardless of the fact that she found him attractive. "Well... when I have downtime... I tend to just meditate on my thoughts. It's actually rather peaceful, but that doesn't mean that I don't miss sleep." He admitted.
Ruby perked up as she had a thought. "So, that one bag was filled with Lien, what are the other two filled with?" She asked. He turned to the two larger bags near the door. "Well, the one on the left is filled with confiscated items, from criminals mostly. Knives, defused explosives, things like that. The other bag has my personal things in it." He said. Blake had a look of wonder on her face. "Weapons, really?" She asked. Yuri gave a nod. "Back where I lived... crime... wasn't incredibly common... but it was still enough of a problem that the people were concerned. But the police weren't really interested in assisting them." He said angrily.
"Where did you live where crime was that bad?" Weiss asked. He smiled and turned away from them. "Well, until today... the Menagerie was my home." He said. Blake's eyes widened in surprise. A HUMAN in the Menagerie... they aren't exactly welcome there. She shook the thought from her mind as a soft rumble echoed through the room. Yang giggled. "Oops, looks like I forgot to eat anything today." She said. Yuri laughed at her. "Don't feel to bad, I haven't eaten anything either." He said. She grinned at him. "Wanna get dinner?" She asked, coyness.
He pretended to consider it, but he had already agreed in his mind. "Well... I guess I could go with you." He said with a grin. He looked to the other girls. "Any of you going too?" He asked. The other girls, who had eaten normally as they were supposed to, shook their heads. He turned back to Yang. "Guess it's just you and me then" He said. She laughed. "Y'know, I think we'll manage." She said.
With that, Yuri filled the small bag with the Lien on the dresser, tied it up, and hooked it to his pants. "We're off." He said. Weiss turned away, and Ruby and Blake gave quick gestures of farewell. They closed the door behind them and could be heard talking and laughing with one another the whole time they walked down the hall. Blake smiled, she wasn't sure what to think of their new teammate... but at least he seemed likable.
4 Hours Later
Blake looked around the dark room. Yang had returned an hour ago, and had repeatedly talked about how much fun she had with Yuri during dinner. Eventually fatigue overtook her, and she retired to bed. But Yuri hadn't returned yet, and Blake didn't feel like Yang would take too kindly to being awoken just so she could ask that question. Her eyes darted around the room, everyone seemed to be asleep. Then she noticed Yuri's bags beside the door. One of them is filled with weapons from criminals, and the other has his personal things... right? She slowly hopped down off of her bunk. She kept her eyes firmly on the door as she walked over to the bags.
She knelt down and felt the larger bag, it's contents were solid, mostly metal. She could feel blades inside, so she assumed that what Yuri had said was true. She turned her attention to the other bag, no longer worried about the door, as she would hear anyone coming down the hall long before they got there. She pulled apart the drawstring and opened the bag's top. She was rather surprised at the contents. She pulled them out, one by one. A light blue scarf, a mahogany eyeglass case, a old style golden fountain pen, a bronze pocket watch.
She looked down into the bag as she set the watch down, and her blood ran cold. She lifted the item out of the bag slowly, its white surface interspersed with red, vein-like markings. The shape was undeniable. It's... a... Grimm Mask... like the one Adam wore. A small slip of paper dropped from behind the back of the mask. Blake set the mask down and picked up the paper. It was a color photograph. Five people, one of whom is obviously Yuri, one other guy, and three girls. They're all older than Yuri by one or two years, and the guy and two of the girls were undoubtedly Faunus. They all seem happy around each other. Then she noticed it. They each have a Grimm Mask... the one Yuri has in the picture is the same one in from the bag. The masks all looked exactly like Yuri's, other than the color of the veins, which were all unique.
Was Yuri... part of the White Fang? "You know..." A voice from across the room began. Blake's blood ran cold once again, and she shot up and spun around on the spot. Yuri. "Those things... are really precious to me, you know." He said sadly. He walked over to her calmly. She was horrified of what he was going to do to her. As he reached her, she was once again reminded of how much he towered over her. His face was stern... but... also somewhat solemn. He slowly grabbed the mask off of the ground, and the photo from Blake's hand. He slipped the photo inside a small pocket in the mask.
He was silent as he returned the belongings to the small bag. Blake, who was still horrified from his sudden entrance, backed away slowly. "How did you-" "Sneak up on you? Darling I lived in the Menagerie and worked as a vigilante. It's no surprise that my job required me to sneak around some Faunus more than once." He said with a quiet laugh. She sighed as he didn't exactly seem angry. He walked closer to her, then placed his hand on her head. "Hey, if you want to know anything about me... I'm not going to hide anything from you... so just ask." He said, stroking the top of her head, right between her bow. She craned her neck into his fingers, enjoying the sensation.
After a moment he pulled away, and Blake felt a blush crop up on her cheeks. "Sorry, about that... you know... um, going, um... through your things." She said, finding it hard to form words. He waved her worry away. "Not at all... like I said, if you're curious just ask." He said, giving her a soft smile. She could see how genuine he was being with her. She sniffed the air, and felt her mind go numb. That smell... those are his pheromones. They smell so sweet, he really is being honest. She shook herself out of her stupor, and walked back to her bunk.
"Goodnight Yuri... good luck tomorrow, Yang's no pushover." She said, before laying her head down on her pillow. Honestly... something tells me he'll be fine. "I hope it's fun to fight her, I'm actually really looking forward to it." Yuri said, kneeling down in the middle of the room, with his hands on his knees. Now... time to prepare my aura.
Ozpin felt her eyes on the back of his neck, and he turned his chair to face her. "Some bothering you, Glynda?" He asked. She gave a small huff. "Where... exactly did you find that boy?" She asked worriedly. "Well, I had the good fortune of crossing paths with him in the Menagerie." He said. "The Menagerie!? What on earth were you doing there?" She asked. "Honestly... I was searching for something." He said. She sighed. "'Something' wouldn't happen to be the young man, would it?" She asked. Ozpin shrugged dismissively. "Perhaps, but I can't say for certain yet."
Well, that's chapter 2... yep, that's it. Chapter 3 will be out... eventually, haven't decided which fic I want to work on next yet. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.
Cheers.